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Romanian Athenaeum

In 1865, cultural and scientific personalities such as Constantin Esarcu, V. A. Urechia, and Nicolae Cretulescu founded the Romanian Atheneum Cultural Society. To serve its purposes, the Romanian Athenaeum, a building dedicated to art and science, would be built in Bucharest.The building was designed by the French architect Albert Galleron, built on a property that had belonged to the Vacarescu family and inaugurated in 1888, although work continued until 1897. A portion of the construction funds was raised by public subscription in a 28-year-long effort, of which the slogan is still remembered today: "Donate one leu for the Ateneu!"
Extensive reconstruction and restoration work has been conducted in 1992 by a Romanian construction company and restoration painter Silviu Petrescu, saving the building from collapse.